A coaxial connecting device is provided for making an electrical connection between a coaxial cable and a device under test. A coaxial connecting device electrically connects a coaxial cable to a signal pad and a ground pad. The coaxial contractor of the present invention includes a signal pin for electrically connecting a signal conductor of the coaxial cable to the signal pad; a ground connector for electrically connecting a ground conductor of the coaxial cable to the ground pad; a cylindrical guide tube surrounding the ground conductor for elastically contacting the ground connector while maintaining a predetermined distance with the signal pin; and a dielectric member surrounding a part of the signal pin for electrically isolating the cylindrical guide tube and the signal pin from each other and coaxially maintaining the guide tube and the signal pin. The coaxial connecting device of the present invention minimizes a contact path between the ground conductor of a coaxial cable and a ground pad and provides impedance matched coaxial signal transmission link, resulting in improvement of frequency characteristics.
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1. A coaxial connecting device for electrically connecting a coaxial cable to a signal pad and a ground pad, comprising:
a signal pin for electrically connecting a signal conductor of the coaxial cable to the signal pad;
a ground connector for electrically connecting a ground conductor of the coaxial cable to the ground pad;
a cylindrical guide tube surrounding the ground conductor for elastically contacting the ground pad while maintaining a predetermined distance with the signal pin; and
a dielectric member surrounding a part of the signal pin for electrically isolating the cylindrical guide tube and the signal pin from each other and coaxially maintaining the guide tube and the signal pin,
wherein the ground connector is directly connected to the ground conductor of the coaxial cable at one end and tightly inserted into the cylindrical guide tube, the ground connector having a first protrusion,
wherein the cylindrical guide tube comprises: a main body connected to an end of the ground connector by means of shrink fit and fixed by the first protrusion;
a ground contact part elastically connected to the ground pad;
a bridge part electrically connecting the ground contact part to the main body; and
an elastic member arranged between the main body and the ground contact part, the elastic member surrounding the bridge part.
10. A coaxial connecting device for electrically connecting a coaxial cable to a signal pad and a ground pad, comprising:
a signal pin for electrically connecting a signal conductor of the coaxial cable to the signal pad;
a ground connector for electrically connecting a ground conductor of the coaxial cable to the ground pad;
a cylindrical guide tube surrounding the ground conductor for elastically contacting the ground pad while maintaining a predetermined distance with the signal pin; and
a dielectric member surrounding a part of the signal pin for electrically isolating the cylindrical guide tube and the signal pin from each other and coaxially maintaining the guide tube and the signal pin,
wherein the ground connector is directly connected, at its one end, to the ground conductor of the coaxial cable and has a connection protrusion formed on its inner wall for fixing the cylindrical guide tube inside thereof; and
wherein the cylindrical guide tube comprises a ground contact part which is elastically contacting with the ground pad, a bridge part connected to the ground contact part by means of shrink fit and fixed by the connection protrusion and electrically connecting the ground contact part and to the ground connector, and an elastic member interposed between the ground contact part and the ground connector and surrounding the bridge part.
3. The coaxial connecting device of
a first part which is elastically contacting with the signal pad;
a second part longitudinally connected to a proximal end of the first part and having a fixation protrusion for limiting movement of the dielectric member, the second part being formed with a diameter larger than that of the first part such that the first part reciprocates within the second part; and
a third part longitudinally connected to the second part at one end and having an insertion hole formed at the other end for receiving the signal conductor, the third part having a diameter larger than that of the second part.
4. The coaxial connecting device of
5. The coaxial connecting device of
the main body has a second protrusion protruded inward for limiting movement of the dielectric member in cooperation with the fixation protrusion and limiting a movement of the bridge member;
the bridge member is connected to the main body at one end by means of shrink fit and fixed by the second protrusion and is provided with a third protrusion at the other end for defining movement of the ground contact part; and
the ground contact part includes a stopper for restricting movement of the ground contact part and an elongate member for maintaining electrical contact with the third protrusion while the ground contact part reciprocates along the bridge part.
6. The coaxial connecting device of
7. The coaxial connecting device of
8. The coaxial connecting device of
9. The coaxial connecting device of
12. The coaxial connecting device of
a first part which is elastically contacting with the signal pad; and
a second part which a diameter larger than that of the first part and is connected to the first part at one end and has a insertion hole formed at the other end for receiving the signal conductor of the coaxial cable, the one end of the second part being positioned below one end of the bridge part of the cylindrical guide tube.
13. The coaxial connecting device of
14. The coaxial connecting device of
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The present invention relates to a coaxial connecting device and, in particular, to a coaxial connecting device for making an electrical connection between a coaxial cable and a device under test.
Coaxial cable is an electrical cable consisting of an inner signal conductor, an insulator surrounding the signal conductor, and an outer cylindrical conducting shield surrounding the insulating spacer such that the inner conductor and the outer shield shares the same axis.
The coaxial cable is often used for precise electric and electronic devices and test devices due to its low electrical interference and transmission stability relative to other types of cables. In a case of usage with a test device, a coaxial connecting device for securing signal transmission reliability of the coaxial cable even with repeated attachment and detachment to the test objects.
In the conventional coaxial connecting device, however, the interface element is fixed on the exterior barrel such that, when approaching the exterior barrel to a test object without cutting off the electricity on the coaxial cable, the contact assembly and ground plunger are likely to contact the conductors of the test object before fixing the exterior barrel in place so as to cause unstable electric current, whereby it is required to laboriously switch on and off the electricity whenever changing test target devices.
Meanwhile, a connection member is required for electrically connecting the test equipment, which generates test signals, to a test target device. Particularly, as the devices to be tested are highly advanced, the connection link vulnerable to weak signals and interferences causes to degrade the test result reliability.
Therefore, there has been a requirement for a coaxial connecting device capable of transferring test signals to test target device, without degrading the signal strength and causing frequency interferences.
The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a coaxial connecting device that is capable of minimizing the signal contact path between a coaxial cable and an external pad and reducing signal loss and interference.
In one aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by a coaxial connecting device electrically connecting a coaxial cable to a signal pad and a ground pad. The coaxial connecting device includes a signal pin for electrically connecting a signal conductor of the coaxial cable to the signal pad; a ground connector for electrically connecting a ground conductor of the coaxial cable to the ground pad; a cylindrical guide tube surrounding the ground conductor for elastically contacting the ground pad while maintaining a predetermined distance with the signal pin; and a dielectric member surrounding a part of the signal pin for electrically isolating the cylindrical guide tube and the signal pin from each other and coaxially maintaining the guide tube and the signal pin.
Preferably, the ground connector is directly connected to the ground conductor of the coaxial cable at one end and tightly inserted into the cylindrical guide tube, the ground connector having a first protrusion.
Preferably, the cylindrical guide tube includes a main body connected to an end of the ground connector by means of shrink fit and fixed by the first protrusion; a ground contact part elastically connected to the ground pad; a bridge part electrically connecting the ground contact part to the main body; and an elastic member arranged between the main body and the ground contact part, the elastic member surrounding the bridge part.
Preferably, the signal pin is a spring probe pin.
Preferably, the signal pin includes a first part which is elastically contacting with the signal pad; a second part longitudinally connected to a proximal end of the first part and having a fixation protrusion for limiting movement of the dielectric member, the second part being formed with a diameter larger than that of the first part such that the first part reciprocates within the second part; and a third part longitudinally connected to the second part at one end and having an insertion hole formed at the other end for receiving the signal conductor, the third part having a diameter larger than that of the second part.
Preferably, the second part is arranged such that a beginning end of the second part is positioned below a finishing end of the bridge part of the cylindrical guide tube.
Preferably, the main body has a second protrusion protruded inward for limiting movement of the dielectric member in cooperation with the fixation protrusion and limiting a movement of the bridge member; the bridge member is connected to the main body at one end by means of shrink fit and fixed by the second protrusion and is provided with a third protrusion at the other end for defining movement of the ground contact part; and the ground contact part includes a stopper for restricting movement of the ground contact part and an elongate member for maintaining electrical contact with the third protrusion while the ground contact part reciprocates along the bridge part.
Preferably, the elongate member has a cylindrical shape of which inner surface is electrically contacting with the third protrusion.
Preferably, the elongate member has a cylindrical shape having a guide hole elongated in a longitudinal direction, the guide hole being slightly skewed relative to a longitudinal axis of the coaxial connecting device and the bridge part has an engagement pin which is engaged with the guide hole, the engagement of the engagement pin and the guide hole providing electrical contact point.
Preferably, the elongate member has a cylindrical shape tapered to a distal end and slit in a longitudinal direction with predetermined intervals along its circumference, the elongate member electrically contacting the third protrusion while moving back and forth.
Preferably, the dielectric member is blocked to move in a direction by the second protrusion of the main body and the fixation protrusion and in the other direction by an end of the ground connector and the third part, and the signal pin and the cylindrical guide tube are isolated from each other by the dielectric member and space in between.
Preferably, the ground connector is directly connected, at its one end, to the ground conductor of the coaxial cable and has a connection protrusion formed on its inner wall for fixing the cylindrical guide tube inside thereof; and the cylindrical guide tube comprises a ground contact part which is elastically contacting with the ground pad, a bridge part connected to the ground contact part by means of shrink fit and fixed by the connection protrusion and electrically connecting the ground contact part and to the ground connector, and an elastic member interposed between the ground contact part and the ground connector and surrounding the bridge part.
Preferably, the signal pin includes a first part which is elastically contacting with the signal pad; and a second part which a diameter larger than that of the first part and is connected to the first part at one end and has a insertion hole formed at the other end for receiving the signal conductor of the coaxial cable, the one end of the second part being positioned below one end of the bridge part of the cylindrical guide tube.
Preferably, the bridge part of the cylindrical guide tube is connected to the ground connector at one end by means of shrink fit and fixed by the fixation protrusion, limits movement of the ground contact part by biasing force of the elastic member, and has a contact protrusion protruded on an outer surface thereof; and the ground contact part comprises a stopper facing one end of the elastic member and an elongate member integrally formed with the stopper and maintaining electrical contact with the contact protrusion while the ground contact part moves back and forth.
Preferably, the dielectric member is connected to the second part of the signal pin by means of shrink fix, and the signal pin and the cylindrical guide tube are electrically isolated from each other by the dielectric member and space formed between the signal pin and the cylindrical guide tube.
The coaxial connecting device of the present invention has an effect to minimize contact path between the ground conductor of a coaxial cable and a ground pad of a device under test, resulting in improvement of impedance match and frequency characteristics.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings in detail. The same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. Detailed descriptions of well-known functions and structures incorporated herein may be omitted to avoid obscuring the subject matter of the present invention.
In this embodiment, the present invention is a coaxial contractor 200 for electrically connecting a signal pad and a contact pad of an external printed circuit board (not shown) to a coaxial cable 305. As shown in
If a pressure is applied while the guide tube 330 and signal pin 310 are contact the respective ground and signal pads, the guide tube 330 and the signal pin 310 are elastically compressed. The guide tube 330 is connected to a ground and functions as a ground, and the signal pin 310 is connected to a signal conductor (not shown) of the coaxial cable 305.
A coaxial cable 305 includes a signal conductor 305c, a dielectric insulator 305b surrounding the signal conductor 305c, and a ground conductor 305a surrounding the dielectric insulator 305b. The signal pin 310 of the coaxial connecting device is elastically contacting with a signal pad (PS) of an external printed circuit board (PCB) 350 so as to make an electrical connection between the signal conductor 305 of the coaxial cable 305 and the signal pad (PS).
The signal pin 310 can be any of a variety of materials that are conductive to transfer electrical signals. The signal pin 310 is configured such that the tip of the signal pin 310 is contracted and extended.
The signal pin 310 includes a first part 310a, a second part 310b, and a third part 310c formed with different diameters. The first part 310a can elastically reciprocate in longitudinal direction against the signal pad (PS).
The second part 310b is connected at one end of the first part 310a such that the first part 310a reciprocates inside the second part 310b. The second part 310b is also provided with a fixation protrusion 410 formed around an outer surface at one end for fixing the dielectric member 340. The third part 310c is connected at the other end of the second part such that the second part 310b is fixed inside of the third part 310c. The third part 310c is provided with a contact hole 345 at the other end for tightly receiving the signal conductor 305c of the coaxial cable 305. The third part 310c has a diameter larger than that of the second part 310b so as to fixedly contact with the dielectric member.
The signal conductor 305c of the coaxial cable 305 is inserted into the contact hole 345 of the third part 310c of the signal pin 310 and then fixed by means of soldering. Although the soldering is used in this embodiment, the signal conductor 305c and the signal pin 310 can be abutted with each other using various techniques.
The ground connector 320 surrounds a part at which the signal pin 310 and the coaxial cable 305 are connected to each other. The ground connector 320 is connected to the ground conductor 305a of the coaxial cable 305. The ground connector 320 is directly connected to the ground conductor 305 of the coaxial cable 305 by surrounding the ground conductor 305 such that the entire cylindrical guide tube 330 functions as a ground.
The ground connector 320 has a shape of a cylindrical sleeve having a protrusion 320a formed around its outer circumferential surface. One end of the ground connector 320 is connected to the ground conductor 305a of the coaxial cable 305 and the other end of the ground connector 320 is connected to the guide tube 330.
The dielectric member 340 is arranged to contacted with the ground connector 320 around the signal pin 310. The dielectric member 340 surrounds at a part of the signal pin 310 so as to electrically insulate the signal pin 310 from the guide tube 330 and maintain the guide tube 330 and the signal pin 310 in a concentric manner. The dielectric member 340 is fixed by means of the second protrusion 420 and the first protrusion 410 arranged at one end of the guide tube 330 and one end of the ground connector 320 and the third part 310c of the signal pin 310 arranged at the other end.
The signal pin 310 is insulated against the cylindrical guide tube 330 by means of air except for a region surrounded by the dielectric material. The signal pin 310 and the guide tube are isolated from each other by the dielectric member 340 and the air.
A start point of the second part 310b of the signal pin 310 is arranged below the upper end of a middle part 330c of the guide tube 330. Accordingly, even when the first part 310a of the signal pin 310 contacts the signal pad (PS) so as to be retreated, the start point of the second part 310b is prevented from directly contacting the signal pad (PS).
The cylindrical guide tube 330 contacts with an outer surface of the ground connector and surrounds the signal pin 310 while maintaining a predetermined distance. Also, the guide tube 330 is elastically contact with the ground pad (PG).
The structure of the cylindrical guide tube 330 is described hereinafter in more detail. The cylindrical guide tube 330 includes a main body 330a, a ground contact part 330b, a bridge part 330c, and an elastic member. The main body 330a is coupled with a ground connector 320 by means of shrink fit and fixed by the first protrusion 320a. The ground contact part 330b is elastically contacted with the ground pad (PG). The bridge part 330c is electrically connecting the main body 330a and the ground contact part 330b. The elastic member 330d is arranged between the main body 330a and the ground contact part 330b by surrounding the bridge part 330c.
The main body 330a is provided with a second protrusion 420 for fixing the dielectric member 340 with the first protrusion 410 and fixing one end of the bridge part 330c at the other side.
The bridge part 330c is connected, at its one end, to the main body 330a by means of shrink fit and is provided with a third protrusion 430 at the other end for defining movement of the ground contact part 330b.
The ground contact part 330b includes a stopper 440 which is hooked with the third protrusion 430 to restrict the movement of the ground contact part 330b and an elongate member 450 for maintaining the electrical contact with the third protrusion 430 while the ground contact part 330b reciprocates along the bridge part 330c.
The bridge part 330c is connected to the ground contact part 330b such that the ground contact part 330b can slide along the bridge part 330c. The movement of the ground contact part 330b is limited by the third protrusion 430 of the bridge part 330c and biased by the elastic member 330d. The elastic member 330d can be any of various types of springs.
The bridge part 330c is fixed to the main body 330a together with elastic member 330d by means of shrink fit and fixed by the second protrusion 420. The coaxial cable 30 coupled with the ground connector 320 and the signal pin 310 is connected to the main body 330a by means of shrink fit. The ground connector 320 is fixed to the main body 330a by the first protrusion 320a.
After the ground connector 320 is connected to the main body 330a, the ground conductor 305a of the coaxial cable 305 is soldered to the ground connector 320. The elongate member 450 of the ground contact part 330b has a cylindrical shape and its inner surface is contacted with the third protrusion so as to maintain the electrical connection, thereby functioning as a ground.
The elongate member 450 maintains the contact with the third protrusion 430 of the bridge part 330c while being withdrawn. That is, when the coaxial connecting device 200 is pushed to the PBC 350, the ground contact part 330b is biased by the elastic member 330d so as to be tightly contacted with the ground pad (PG) while the elongate member 450 is maintaining the electrical connection with the third protrusion 430.
Since the elongate member 450 is connected to the ground conductor 305a of the coaxial cable 305, it functions as a ground. Also, the signal pin 310 is electrically connected to the signal conductor 305c of the coaxial cable 305 so as to make a signal line.
Referring to
The guide hole 610 receives an engagement pin 620 formed on the surface of the bridge part 330 such that the elongate member 450 is rotatively reciprocating.
The contact point of the bridge part 330 and the elongate member 450 is established by the guide hole 610 and the engagement pin 620 such that the elongate member 450 contacts the contact pad (PG) with low contact resistance.
Referring to
The inner wall of the slit elongate member 450 is electrically contacted with the third protrusion 430 such that multiple contact points secure contact stability.
As shown in
The ground connector 710 is directly connected, at its one end, to the ground conductor 305a of the coaxial cable and is provided with an engagement protrusion formed on an inner surface thereof for fixing a bridge part 720 of a cylindrical guide tube.
The cylindrical guide tube includes a ground contact part 330b which is elastically contacting with a ground pad, a bridge part 720 coupled with the ground connector 710 by means of shrink fit and fixed by a fixation protrusion so as to make an electrical connection to the ground contact part 330b, and an elastic member 330d arranged between the ground contact part 330b and the ground connector 710, the elastic member 330d winding the bridge part 720.
As shown in
The signal pin 730 includes a first part 730a and a third part 730c formed with different diameters. The first part 730a can elastically reciprocate in longitudinal direction against the signal pad (PS). The second part 730b is connected at one end of the first part 730a such that the first part 730a can reciprocate inside the second part 730b. The second part 730b is provided with a hole formed at its other end for receiving the signal conductor 305c.
The signal pin 730 has no fixation protrusion, which is provided in
The bridge part 720 and the ground contact part 330b of the cylindrical guide tube are identical with those of
In the coaxial connecting device 700 of
Unlike the coaxial connecting device 200 of
Although not depicted in the drawings, it is obvious to those in the art that the protrusion for fixing the dielectric member can be provided on at least one of an inner wall of the cylindrical guide tube and surface of the signal pin.
Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it should be clearly understood that many variations and/or modifications of the basic inventive concepts herein taught which may appear to those skilled in the present art will still fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.
As described above, the coaxial connecting device of the present invention minimizes a contact length between the ground conductor of a coaxial cable and a ground pad and provides impedance matched coaxial signal transmission link, resulting in improvement of frequency characteristics.
The coaxial connecting device of the present invention is applicable to various types of device testing systems.
Kim, Sung Jin, Park, Min Su, Lee, Yong Goo, Lee, Maeng Youl
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| Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
| Jan 08 2008 | Gigalane Co. Ltd. | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
| Sep 21 2009 | LEE, YONG GOO | GIGALANE CO LTD , | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 023310 | /0916 | |
| Sep 21 2009 | LEE, MAENG YOUL | GIGALANE CO LTD , | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 023310 | /0916 | |
| Sep 21 2009 | PARK, MIN SU | GIGALANE CO LTD , | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 023310 | /0916 | |
| Sep 21 2009 | KIM, SUNG JIN | GIGALANE CO LTD , | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 023310 | /0916 |
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